Astros' Luke Gregerson makes statement against Tigers

LAKELAND, Fla. — If the fifth inning of a late-spring Grapefruit League game could ever contain a statement, Luke Gregerson made one Sunday afternoon on the road against the Tigers.

The incumbent Astros closer said at the start of spring he still wants to be the closer following the team's acquisition of flamethrower Ken Giles, who's had a rough spring but has looked better lately.

Gregerson, however, had not pitched in a Grapefruit League game until Sunday because of a sore left oblique.

What did he have in the tank on his first day?

Nine pitches, nine strikes, three strikeouts. The perfect inning if there ever was one.

James McCann, Anthony Gose and Ian Kinsler all took fastballs looking for strike one. All three got two fastballs and one slider. McCann went down swinging on a slider that was way off the plate with an ugly swing, Gose fanned on a fastball and Kinsler on the slider.

Gregerson's fastball didn't reach its highest per the stadium gun, getting up to 89 mph, but the low-90s stuff should come.

Giles has an 8.59 ERA this spring.

Houston Astros relief pitcher Luke Gregerson (44) signals as manager A.J. Hinch came out of the dugout during the ninth inning of an MLB game at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) less

Houston Astros relief pitcher Luke Gregerson (44) signals as manager A.J. Hinch came out of the dugout during the ninth inning of an MLB game at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. ( Karen Warren / ... more

Photo: Karen Warren, Staff

Photo: Karen Warren, Staff

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Houston Astros relief pitcher Luke Gregerson (44) signals as manager A.J. Hinch came out of the dugout during the ninth inning of an MLB game at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) less

Houston Astros relief pitcher Luke Gregerson (44) signals as manager A.J. Hinch came out of the dugout during the ninth inning of an MLB game at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. ( Karen Warren / ... more